


Take Us Home.

by BackStabber128



Category: The Walking Dead (Telltale Video Game)
Genre: Bonding, Character Death, Character Development, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Family Bonding, Fluff and Humor, Hurt/Comfort, Kissing, Minor Violence, Nature, Survivor Guilt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-29
Updated: 2019-07-12
Packaged: 2020-02-09 19:21:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 14,683
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18644479
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BackStabber128/pseuds/BackStabber128
Summary: "Maybe one day," Slipped Clementine's reluctant lips. Louis' face lit up like a lamp, almost automatically."When the time's right." She added, "Maybe... maybe we could give it a chance."Wordlessly, the pianist cupped her face in his hands. He seemed to gawk at her as if he were admiring a statue of beauty. He looked conflicted, however, as if he were stricken with both terror and astonishment."Are you sure about this?" His usually brave, broad voice quivered,"Are you absolutely sure you're willing to take this risk?"[Post 404]





	1. Safe and Sound

**Author's Note:**

> This story is intended to be a 3-or-so chapter story about what happens after 404.  
> (Cause let's face it, none of us are willing to accept that twdg is over.)
> 
> There will likely be very long time-skips in future chapters. Just so I can satisfy my cravings for a canon time-skip in a future game - just so you get the idea.
> 
> This part takes place five months after 404, when Louis wakes Clementine up one morning to find a "surprise" in the woods.
> 
> I hope you enjoy^^

_"Take it from me, I'd be lost without you._ _I try to run away but you're running up on me faster and I..._   _I could barely breathe, I couldn't even turn around._ _I only hope we make it home_ _safe and sound."_

_\- Hannah Jern-Miller, "Safe and Sound."_

"Are you sure this is a good idea?"

Clementine rasped in between each arm-throbbing drag of her crutches. She was already panting miserably, trying to recall Louis' excuse to pull her outside at the crack of dawn.

Each crunch of the poles into the dirt was a blessing. Every step forward meant that she was a few inches closer to her destination, wherever it was.

"Absolutely," Louis crooned as he continued to walk several steps ahead of her. His face was already donning a cheeky grin, "I made sure to clear out most of the walkers this morning, don't worry. That way, there's a slightly smaller chance of us getting eaten. Or, y'know, losing another limb, of course."

Clem forced a smirk, managing to wheeze out a short, "Good point."

Louis' chocolate eyes trailed back to the looming trees, suddenly appearing uneasy. "They've been disappearing lately, the walkers." He claimed, glancing back at his girlfriend momentarily, "Each time I've come out to check, there's less and less. It's like they're... slowly dying out or something."

Clem worked herself forward twice more, "Amen to that." She breathed, a wave of relief flooding her chest.  _Could t_ _he walker age could be coming to an end, after all?_ She couldn't help but wonder.

The copper-skinned young man ahead of her continued waltzing up the ridge, making sure to slow down every time she fell behind.

Clem focused on his confident strut in order to distract herself from her fatigued limbs.

Louis' trademarked 'chairles' was gripped in his right hand like a baseball bat. The weapon wagged and swayed with each step he took. Razor-sharp nails protruded dangerously from its splintered wood. " _Just in case any walkers decide to show up,"_ Was the boy's wise excuse to bring it along.

The two teens were approaching a glade just beyond the forest's running river. The many pine trees surrounding them were already glistening an earthly amber from the rising sun.

Sure enough, there were no walkers in sight. Nothing but trees and shrubs plump with fresh autumn leaves. They were all splashed a refreshing bronze or reddish color.  _'Mahogany,'_  Clem mentally scoffed,  _'The color of Louis' dream piano.'_

"So...uh, what was it you wanted to show me?" She asked, gritting her teeth a bit, "I mean, it's not like I was anticipating an early morning stroll or anything..."

The girl caught a mischievous glint in Louis' eye when he smiled at her again, "It's a surprise." He said bluntly, "Like I said, I know you've been dying to revisit nature for a while now. And I also know that getting used to those crutches has been a pain in the ass, so..."

Clementine chuckled slightly, "Yeah, I can't argue with that."

She took a deep breath of the crisp morning air, before letting it all out with a refreshing sigh, "Really, it was just the breeze I missed. Or the serenity, maybe. Without any walkers, it's just so... strangely peaceful out here."

"No noise, no people, just... eerie calmness. I guess being away from it for so long made me miss it a little." She continued, enjoying the world's blossoming features.

"Wow, even with me here, huh?" Louis pointed out, joining her thoughtless gaze. Clem nodded with a short chortle, "Yep, somehow, not even you can ruin the peace."

The wind guided a few stray leaves to flicker by their feet. They slipped across the tracks with a slight crackling noise. Somehow, the sound caused the memory of a certain gun wielding five year old to pop into the girl's mind.

"AJ will be worried when he finds out we left." She blurted out regretfully, furrowing her brow.

"Poor kid could use a break after all the chaos he saw from the last few months..." Louis replied, his husky voice suddenly becoming soft, "He never wants to leave your side, which makes sense - after all you and him have been through."

"Yeah, but I forgive him for it." Clementine replied, "He just wants to keep us safe. Honestly, I'm still shocked he turned out the way he did, after all he's seen. At first, I thought he wouldn't be able to handle it."

"Thank God he was, in that case." Louis chimed in, "He's scary enough as it is. I can't imagine having a gun wielding, blood-thirsty mini psychopath running around the school. I'd probably be the first one to be shot."

"Oh, you'd  _definitely_  be the first one to be shot." The female commented, her lips sparking a smile.

"'Definitely', huh?" Louis remarked with a shake of his head, "Well, hey, it's only fitting,"

They succumbed to quiet once more, deciding to occupy themselves with the wispy turquoise scenery instead. Birds flew and chirped over their heads, a gentle breeze whizzed by their ears.

But before long, the older teen decided to speak up again, "Do you know what... uh, specifically happened with AJ's parents?" He asked hesitantly.

"Y-You don't have to answer if you don't want to." He added regretfully as Clem's features dropped, "I... I was just curious," He found his hand rubbing anxiously at his neck, and mentally cursed himself, "I know it must've been horrible. You two have been through hell and back."

"His dad's name was Alvin." Clementine began, sorrow in her tone, "He was part of that cabin group I told you about, with Luke, Nick... some other people. He died not long after I met him. His death's a blur now that I think back on it, but... I remember watching him get gunned down by bandits."

Louis shivered at the mention. "They were led by a man called Carver." The girl continued, "He forced us to work for him. Killed the ones who were weak and tourmented everyone else. Tried to make me feel the same way."

"That sounds just like Lilly." Louis claimed in disgust. His fingers squeezed tight around the weapon in his grip, his voice tinged with spite, "I hope he got what he deserved."

"He did."

A moment of silence came over them, causing a shiver to run up the boy's spine.

"Alvin's wife was Rebecca, who died a few days after he did. After she gave birth." Clem resumed after recollecting herself.

"To AJ?" Louis questioned.

"Yep." The girl replied, averting her eyes to the ground, "We set off to the North, before being attacked again. There was gunfire everywhere, screaming. Honestly, I thought we were all going to die."

Louis nodded, eying his feet as he processed her words.

"Rebecca became a walker, still holding AJ in her arms. The shooting all started because I shot her to save him." Clem concluded, "...I'm pretty sure I told you the rest."

The male shook his head in disbelief, "Sounds like something out of a nightmare." He remarked.

"It was."

It took a minute for them to speak again.

"I'm amazed you were able to survive all that." Louis confessed, "I can't imagine what that must have been like... And if I never met you or AJ..." He paused at the thought, "I'm sure I'd already be dead."

Clementine nodded with contempt.

"I'm just glad you two survived it."

"I am too." The girl agreed, speaking under her breath, "Those five years went by so fast."

The two treaded up the rest of the hill in silence. The quiet whistle of wind was all that could be heard throughout the tossing branches of the forest.

Out of the blue, Louis froze mid-step and held up a hand to pause his companion, "It seems that we have reached our destination." He drawled, pointing his weapon towards the horizon with a satisfied smirk.

Hidden amidst a flock of golden branches was a towering chunk of metal. It appeared burnt and crooked, pieces of it were scattered along the beach like pebbles.

The lake surrounding it was eerily still, showing that the sight hadn't been disturbed in weeks. Behind it, a brilliant amber sunrise blasted like an explosion in the sky. Rays of tangerine and peach reflected off the water's murky waves.

"Is that... the Delta boat?" Clementine pondered aloud, barely believing her eyes.

"Yep, it sure is." Louis replied, plopping his back against the trunk of a tree, "Crazy, isn't it? To think we were trapped in there not too long ago. Trying to escape back home with all those walkers swarming us. Wondering what miracle it would take for us to survive..."

The boy shook his head at the memory, clearly unsettled, "I still can't believe we made it out alive." He admitted.

"That was one crazy night." Clem murmured as she eyed the breath-taking scenery, "...You were right, now that I think about it. That day's all just chaos when I look back on it. Minerva, the zombies, the explosion..." She rambled while the dreaded memories rewinded through her mind.

The girl turned to meet Louis' solemn gaze, finding his soothing appearance glazed orange from the sun.

She admired the way his eyes churned into a stunning caramel. The freckles decorating his nose and chest seemed like specks of kisses from the sun.

But her eyes were mainly drawn to his lips. She remembered how soft and tender they felt to her own. Bitter, yet so sweet and warm and inviting...

The boy's eyes suddenly snapped to hers. He seemed to notice her staring, but shrugged it off with another cheesy smile. He sunk a hand into the folds of his coat, drawing out a large metal bar. The device seemed to dip in his hands with its weight. The size matched the length of his forearm.

"I think now's a good time to reveal the  _real_  surprise..." He claimed, extending the item out to her.

Clem eyed the thing quizzically, cocking a brow, "A metal... stick?"

"Oh, not just any metal stick..." Louis corrected. With a quick snapping noise, the pole retracted, splitting into a more complicated shape. It was made up of four branches of steel, all bolted together with nails and an elastic bandage.

Clementine could tell that it was crafted with an abundance of care and precision. The material was practically beaming in the golden light of the sun. "A prosthetic upgrade." Louis quipped to solve the girl's confusion.

He lowered the device to fill the gap below her left leg's calf. "It's a perfect fit, too!"

The realization of the item's purpose hit Clem like a truck. The act of breathing somehow became foreign to her lungs. "Lou..." A smile of disbelief crept onto her lips, "There's no way you would've-"

"-Willy, Aasim, and Ruby helped me put it together." Louis continued, grinning like the idiot he was, "Violet helped out a bit, too. We started right when AJ told us about the fabled 'foot book.'" He winked at her, holding her close as he strapped the cuff of the device to her absent limb.

"C'mon, try it out!" He insisted once it was secured.

Clementine hesitantly wrapped her arms around his neck, using him to sloppily work herself upright. She carefully slipped away, only barely managing to balance herself on her feet.

Inevitably, her knees wobbled before buckling under the stress of the strange new limb. She ended up toppling over, slamming straight into her boyfriend's chest. He audibly yelped as he lost his balance and fell flat on his ass.

The two teens laughed stupidly at themselves before guiding each other back to their feet. Specks of fall leaves were already splattered all over them. Blots of brown and orange decorated their clothing like stains of paint.

"I-It might take awhile to get used to," Louis sputtered in the heat of the moment. Clementine barely processed his words. Her gaze was fixed on the movement of his lips as he spoke, "But... uh, whataya think? Did we do a good jo-?"

The boy's last words were lost to him as the girl jolted forward and crashed their faces together. The sheer force of it caused his spine to slam right back to the ground. Their lips interlocked, causing a surprised gasp to slip from him.

 _'Sweet,'_  was the the first thing Louis processed as he tilted his head and let his eyes flutter shut. Before he knew it, his graceful hands had already slid up the nape of Clem's neck. They nipped at the ends of her chocolate curls, pulling her even closer.

Clementine's rich, gentle touch lulled him back to a sitting position. Then, her fingers dipped into the hem of his olive shirt, trickling over his shoulders and neck. Dragging him deeper into the kiss.

Their mouths tangled together, breaths becoming hot and matted.

Reluctantly, Louis pulled away. His flushed lips were parted slightly as he struggled to catch his breath. His melted caramel eyes were half-lidded, staring aimlessly into Clementine's own. Her delicate fingers were twisted into his locks.

"I'll... I'll take that as a  _'yes.'_ " Louis mumbled breathlessly, a goofy grin appearing on his face. Chuckling drunkenly, Clem pecked lightly at his jawline. Scooping his face into her hands again, she guided him into another kiss. She kissed him like she couldn't get enough.

"Clem?" Came a high pitched voice somewhere in the background. The crunch of approaching footsteps was next, then a disgusted groan, "Can you two stop doing that!?"

The teens' lips parted with a quick  _'smack'_ They looked over to spot a certain short light-skinned boy standing amongst a fest of trees.

His stubby arms were crossed over his chest and his face was tight in a judgmental scowl. A noticeably too-large revolver protruded from his front belt pocket.

Before Clementine could respond to her adopted son's sudden outburst, Louis had already burst into a fit of shameless laughter. That same obnoxious cackle she had grown fond of. Followed by that same damn stupid grin of his.

She elbowed his arm scoldingly as he muffled himself with the collar of his coat.

"I was worried about you," Alvin said, his features softening, "You know it's dangerous to go outside without your leg! What if the monsters come?"

Louis sat up from his seat on the forest floor, gesturing to himself with 'chairles,' "That's why I'm here, kiddo." He retorted, his face still a mess of blush and gold, "But in our defense - we  _did_  have a spare leg to share. In fact, that's why we're here in the first place - Right, Clem?"

Clementine shakily rose to her feet, arms branching out in search of balance. AJ's dark eyes fell on the metal twined to the knee of her left leg.

"Wow..." He breathed, caught off guard by the strange contraption, "What... what's it feel like?"

Clem peered down at the thing with a scoff, "It feels alot how it looks. Pieces of metal glued and taped together. Kinda like..." Her gaze veered off to Louis, "Standing on a pogo-stick."

AJ quirked an eyebrow, "...A pogo-stick?"

"Eh, it's basically the same thing." Louis chimed in, setting his hands on his hips, "But don't worry about it."

Clem knelt down to AJ's height, meeting his worried eyes, "I'm glad you came to check on us, but you shouldn't feel so... obligated to stick with us all the time. As long as we're not alone we can defend ourselves. You shouldn't have to put yourself in danger just to see what we're up to." The girl reasoned.

"I know," AJ muttered, "But I'm afraid something bad will happen if I don't. I don't wanna risk it." He stuffed his hands in his pockets, his fingers rubbing at the gun stashed in his tattered jeans.

"You're right to worry." Louis spoke up from beside him, "Hell, you have full right to be after all that's happened. But it's also important to enjoy peace while it lasts. We're safe now, thanks to you, Clem, Willy... basically all of us. If anything, we should be proud."

AJ uncrossed his arms, shuffling his feet before giving in, "Yeah, you're right." He bumbled, a glint of hope in his eyes. Suddenly, he turned away, appearing glum again, "Maybe... maybe it's the forest that makes me feel like this." He claimed wearily, "Gives me chills. Because of Lilly and Abel."

The regretful memory drained the confidence from Louis' face. He would never forget the boiling rage he felt during that awful night. The overwhelming guilt flooding him and spouting out into words of spite. Of hatred.

Clementine took AJ's hand in her own, guiding him close. Across from her, Louis did the same. "In that case, let's go home." She stated.

"And back to our tree house," Louis added.

"And our skylight." She winked back.

With that, their journey back home began.

...

A faint groaning noise emerged from the woods, catching everyone off guard. It was a sound all too familiar.

Without hesitation, Louis ripped 'chairles' from the folds of his coat. Approaching the noise carefully, his eyebrows narrowed in concentration. The pulse pounding in his ears was louder than the rustling trees above him.

Clem and AJ silently trailed behind as he continued forward. And soon, the sound of rope straining at the bark of a tree became audible. Afterwards, loud thumping and more distant growling.

Clementine watched as Louis' defensive stance vanished and he let out a dry laugh,

"I haven't seen one of these fellas in a long time."

He slid out of the way to reveal a small walker dangling in a rabbit trap. It's bony ankle was stuck in a knot of rope. The rest of it's crippled body swung back and forth in it's binds.

The ratty white sweater and jeans it wore were practically unrecognizable. Much of the fabric was either eaten away or caked with blood and dirt.

The thing's lifeless face was turned away, moaning miserably. Seeming preoccupied with a few flies buzzing in the other direction.

"A walker piñata!" AJ chirped, running up for a closer look. "Poor little idiot," Louis sighed, prodding at the zombie with his weapon, "I don't think I've ever seen one so... young."

"Me neither." Clementine admitted, a wave of sorrow coming over her, "I almost did once, but... that was a long time ago." She corrected herself with contempt. Beside her, AJ's excitement began to fade as he inspected the monster further.

"Well, it's only fitting to celebrate our first anniversary with our next round of batting practice." Louis decided, proceeding to sink into a professional batting stance. Suddenly, his gaze veered off to Clem, and he smiled, offering her the bat instead, "Ladies first." He told her.

Clementine rolled her eyes, pushing the weapon back towards him, "How about you have the first swing for a change? Y'know, since I've never seen if you could hit a home run..."

Louis squinted, quirking a brow, "Oh, really? Not even once?"

"Nope, never."

"Not even with  _these_  bad boys?" Louis flexed a wimpy arm, casting a wink in Clem's direction, "You did say you liked brawn in a guy, afterall."

"'Brawn' with those twigs?" The girl pointed out, fighting a smile.

"You're just sayin' that 'cause you've never seen me without the coat."

"Or have I...? How do you know I haven't snuck in your room for payback of all the pranks you made? Like that one night last week?"

Louis cheeks burned a deep red at the thought. He made a feeble attempt to snap back into character, "That doesn't count."

Clem scoffed, "You sleep with, like, forty pillows. And you snore like a lawn mower. So payback was pretty easy to pull off. I even managed to do it with crutches, too."

"Oh my God,  _crutches?"_ Louis muttered in disbelief.

"I improvised."

Reeling back into a batting position, the young man smirked again, "Let's see if I can settle the score when we get home,  _Clemster."_

"That's  _Queen_  Clemster to you."

AJ would've rolled his eyes at them if it weren't for the strange taste in the back of his mouth.

His gaze locked onto the small walker's splotchy grey skin. There were unmistakable burn marks searing right beside it's ear. Tearing through matts of short, curly brown hair. Branching across it's rotting skin like flames. Like the ones Violet still had.

The monster turned it's head to face him, revealing emotionless murky green eyes. As if on cue, it's face was met with the crook of Louis' bat. They both collided with a sickening  _crack._

The force of the impact sent the walker whipping around wildly, it's jaw flinging off into the forest's brush. "See? How's that for twig-action, Cle-AAH!?"

The weapon fell from Louis' limp fingers and he stumbled away with a horrified yelp. His eyes were wide, petrified, as they locked onto the face of the boy he once knew.

Everyone was speechless as the gurgling walker scrabbled a hand towards them. It's eyes were cold. Dead. Like all the other walkers they'd seen. It's missing underbite was leaking a strange blood-like substance. Colored black, almost like ink.

Louis was the first to stutter a meek apology, "F-Fuck fuck, I'm sorry, Tenn. I-I didn't know, I..."

He sighed, before feeling a warm, comforting touch brush onto his shoulder.

"Don't worry, it's... not him anymore." Clementine reassured.

"I know, but... God, he didn't deserve this." The older teen grimaced, heart broken at the sight, "That day was so long ago, and he's been stuck like this since."

The walker continued to squirm freakishly in it's binds. The bloody remains of it's mouth twitched while it croaked out more high-pitched growls.

"It's my fault." AJ spoke up, catching the teenagers' attention, "I found him near the shack a few days after I shot him. I wanted to kill him again, to end his suffering but..." He crossed his arms over his chest, "...I'm sorry I never told you."

Louis shook his head, unconsciously setting his hands on his hips, "It wasn't your fault, little dude. If anything, it was mine for bringing us to that damned bridge in the first place."

The older boy looked back at the remnants of Tenn's corpse with a disturbed shudder, "I guess that's what I get for sayin' we were safe." He remarked sourly, "I'm just glad we made it out alive. You should've never been faced with a choice like that."

"There were so many monsters." AJ mumbled, fidgetting with a hole in his shirt, "I wanted to save both of you, but I didn't know how."

"Sometimes you can't save everyone." Louis told him, his gaze trailing back to Tenn.

"How about you get a head-start back to the school?" Clem stated to change the subject, "We'll take care of this."

Face falling a bit, AJ nodded willingly. He plucked his firearm from his pocket, offering it to Louis without hesitation, "Here." He said, "This will make it easier."

The teen inspected the weapon nervously, before taking it into his hands. "Thanks, little dude." He replied with a smile, although it was strained.

"We'll be right behind you." Clementine chimed in, "So don't come running back thinking we're dead again - ok, kiddo?" AJ looked as if he were about to object, before he nodded. With that, he turned and walked away.

Louis stood stiffly beside her, holding the gun in his hands as if it were poison. Clem glanced between him and Tenn, guilt settling over her, "Do you want me to do it?" She questioned, almost feeling the swell of his conflicting emotions.

A thick, somewhat forced, "No," slipped from his lips, "You've killed so many people, Clem. You've seen so much death and pain, and  _this..."_  He trailed, "This isn't your fault."

The girl grabbed his forearm right as he raised the gun to Tenn, "It's not yours' either." She reasoned, her voice stern.

Louis' voice became thick with guilt and he blinked away tears forming in his eyes, "I've known him for years. Watched him grow up and now... He's ended up like all the others." The boy slipped a finger onto the gun's trigger, slowly and hesitantly training it on the walker again.

"I can do it." He declared, more to himself than Clementine, "If this is what it takes to be tough like you," He paused, "I'll do it."

Louis looked down at Tenn once more, cringing as he noted his disfigured face and barely recognizable complexion. His finger trembled on the trigger, but all it took was one quick snap to send the crack of a gunshot ringing through the forest.

Clementine stood by his side, frowning deeply at the last thump of the rope straining on the tree. Like the sound of a dead body dangling on a noose.

"Are you ok?" She inquired sympathetically, watching the young man's shoulders rise and fall with each shuddering gasp. Stuffing the gun inside of his coat, Louis took a deep, reassuring breath, "Yeah, yeah. I'm fine."

"He's in a better place now." She noted sympathetically.

"Hopefully, he already was before I pulled the trigger." Louis replied, trying his best not to accidentally glance at the younger boy's body. He untied the knot from it's ankle and let the thing crumble to the floor. Limp, lifeless.

The two kids stood there a minute, almost as if they were expecting the corpse to reanimate and lurch at them at any second. But it didn't.

"Let's go home." Clem said, caressing the older teen's arm. Wordlessly, Louis scooped his ragged weapon from the ground and tossed it over his shoulder,

"Let's go home." He agreed.


	2. Little Wonders

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter takes place three years after the defeat of the Delta, where everything seems fine until Louis begins to distance himself from the school for unknown reasons.
> 
> Eager to fix their strained relationship and figure out why, Clementine seeks him out in the woods. 
> 
> What she finds reminds her that peace can be broken by the simplest of mistakes -- and also that those same mistakes can be learned from and forgiven.
> 
> Thank you for all who read^^ Comments and kudos are much appreciated!

_"Our lives are made in these small hours. These little wonders, these twists and turns of fate._

_Time falls away, but these small hours, these small hours, still remain."_

_-Rob Thomas, "Little Wonders."_

 

The dark, eerie, desolate glade around her seemed to wilt apart as Clementine treaded up the rest of the blank forest path. The place's once bright, welcoming caramel color had diminished into an ugly, lifeless grey. As if the world had been sucked dry of all it's vigor. Or rather, it's flavor.

For Clem, it definitely had.

A loud  _thunk_ resounded through the brush nearby. Becoming closer and closer with each fearful and reluctant step the young woman took.

_Thunk. Thun_ _k. Th_ _unk._

It wasn't long before she found the source of the noise.

There was a young man standing before her, lifting a battered axe in his hands. He was a few inches taller than her, and roughly a year-or-so-older, as she recalled. His smooth, silky brown skin had churned into an almost life-like bronze. Twists of dark brown dreads spilled over his face and nipped at his notably carved, angular jawline.

A dreadfully familiar trench coat lay, discarded, in the grass. It was ripped and dirtied with age, but still a painful reminder of what used to be.

Clementine stared at it sorrowfully, remembering the warmth ot the material resting in her arms. Of  _him_  resting in her arms.

She closed her eyes, sucking in a careful, reassuring breath. Knowing that deep down, she needed to fix it.

"So... uh, what have you been doing?" The woman hesitantly spoke up, fiddling nervously with a sleeve.

Louis peeped up at her, his dark eyebrows raising, but only for a second, "I knew you'd come out here eventually." He sighed deeply, shaking his head a bit.

"I was just wondering what you've been up to," Clem confessed honestly, "Cause... y'know, we haven't talked in awhile."

Louis shifted on his feet uncomfortably, his dull eyes darting everywhere but her, "...I...I'm sorry, Clem." He breathed, "I really am. I just... I'm sick of messing up all the time." He sighed again, sweeping a bead of sweat from his brow, "I'm trying to be better."

Suddenly, the male huffed, bringing his axe down to split a log clean in half - resulting in the loud  _thunk_ that had lured the girl there in the first place.

"...By chopping a bunch of random logs in half?" Clementine mentioned matter-of-factly. She noticed the shreds of wood scattered at his feet. Splinters protruded from rips in the young man's shirt and pricks through the strings of his boots. "Not exactly." He spoke sourly, his tone of voice nearly unrecognizable. He stood stiff a moment, resting the battered axe over his shoulder. But before long, he swung the head down again.

"Tell me what's wrong." Clementine insisted, hearing the next  _crunch_  cracking through the air, "We haven't spoken in weeks, maybe months. And it's like every day you come out here more and more." She noticed a spark of guilt igniting in his eyes.

"I'm here for you, Lou." The young woman assured, "We've been like this for years. You should know that it's normal to be vulnerable and express your feelings. You know I'd understand. There's no use in keeping it boiling inside you."

Louis' eyes fell shut and he breathed as he tried to pull himself together. But inevitably, his stress refused to leave him. Instead, it only became more unbearable. Deep down, he knew he couldn't keep it to himself forever.

Biting his tongue, Louis clenched his fingers around the hilt of his weapon, "Remember that day with the traders?" He began without averting his gaze, "When I said that they pulled a gun on me and AJ?"

"Yeah, I remember." Clem replied solumnly, "I'm sure AJ does, too."

Louis dragged a tired hand through his dreads, pausing to grip the back of his neck, "I told you that they were stealing from us, didn't I?" He tested, "That they were bandits and they shot AJ on purpose?" Clementine could only nod, anticipating the worst.

"The truth is... it was a mistake." The boy confessed painfully, "I found the other traders the week after. They told me that the 'bandits' found supplies, but they didn't know who's they were. That they couldn't recognize anyone in the dark. Couldn't tell if there was danger. I didn't either."

He paused once more, almost disbelieving himself, "I was the first to pull out a gun, I was the one who got us shot." He spoke miserably, "Their bullet was a centimeter away from hitting AJ's lung. I thought he was going to die. So I panicked, and I pointed the gun again - at one of them..."

Louis' voice practically shattered, "I  _killed_ one. A little boy. It reminded me of all those years ago with Tenn. With that woman on the boat. Only, it was worse. So much worse. He was an innocent little kid. He didn't do anything wrong. And his life was fucking  _wasted,_  all because of me." His shoulders were quivering, and his eyes squeezed tight to prevent spouting tears.

"There's nothing you can do." Clem said, catching him by surprise, "You need to move on and accept it. Forgive yourself, that's all you can do. Trust me, it's happened to me..." She paused, "...too many times."

Louis sniffed, hiking the axe over his shoulder once more, "I'm trying." He hissed, clearly trying to keep himself from breaking, "I-It's just..." The blade slammed into the next set of lumber, nearly smashing it into splinters. This time, the young man didn't relent. He struck again and again and again.

By the time he was finished, his muscles throbbed and his freckled face was streaked with tears. With that, he crumbled to the dirt and wept.

"G-God, it's so stupid, bu-but..." The young man choked pathetically, "I c-can't - I keep seeing his face in my head."

Without another word, Clementine walked over and tugged him into an embrace. She nuzzled her nose into the crook of his neck, sniffing at the cotton of his old, lumber-scented shirt. Reluctantly yet graciously, Louis buried his face in her hair, cherishing the warmth radiating from her.

Clem could feel his tears drip onto her collarbone. But eventually, his sniffles began to fade and his body finally relaxed into her. His hands traveled along the woman's back. His fingers gently and carefully stroking her skin. They trailed softly between her lower back and neck. As if using them to remind himself that he wasn't alone.

They sat like that for what felt like hours. All they heard were each other's steady breathing and birds cooing in the background. For once, neither of them knew what to say.

"Clem?" Louis suddenly spoke up, catching the girl's attention, "Have I ever told you that taking a life was my biggest fear?" Clementine shook her head, suddenly finding her fingers interlocked with his, "I don't think so. Unless you did back at gun training." Was all she said.

Louis' eyes veered back to the ground. Almost hesitantly, he asked, "What's yours?"

Their eyes locked. The young woman furrowed her brow thoughtfully, before offering a half-hearted smile. It faded quickly, but it was all Louis needed to know the answer. Her smile suddenly became infectious like one of his over-confident grins.

"Looks like we have something in common, afterall." He chuckled.

...

A drop of cold rain rolled down the bridge of Clementine's nose. She blinked as it jolted her attention from the gloomy dark clouds. More drops splashed through her locks of curly brown hair and trickled their way down her forehead.

She wiped them away with the sleeve of her jacket, causing the blue color to smear into a dull, bleary grey. Her eyes danced along the glade's scenery, searching for any sign of the man she was looking for. Soon, the icy drizzle began to pour and Clem was drenched in a matter of seconds. The dirt she stood in became muck as she pressed on.

"Where could that idiot be..." She muttered to herself irritably. Her only clue was the note she found on her desk that morning. Fancy, black cursive letters told her;  _ **'Find**   **me**   **in**   **the**   **woods**   **to**   **the**   **west**   **for a** **surprise ;)'**_ Followed by a; ' _ **~ L'**_ at the end to make its owner even more obvious.

 _'Hell, with him it's always surprises.'_ Clementine thought with a scowl.

By the time she heard another human's voice, her shirt was soaked and her jeans sagged over her boots.

"You got this, champ!" Came a familiar boyish croon ahead of her.

She cringed at the sound of metal grating on gravel. Shortly after, a much younger voice sounded, "But it's heavy. Are you sure just pokin' this thing's gonna make it fall?"

"Yep, 100%. But I'd call it more of a 'whack' than a 'poke.' It's easy, you just gotta put your back into it. Act like its Chairles."

A loud  _clunk_  of sliced wood resounded through the trees. Then a surprised gasp from the younger boy. 'Bulls-eye!" Louis cheered proudly as Clementine stumbled forward behind him. She saw AJ wielding an axe in both of his hands. He didn't seem to notice her, but had a determined look on his face. A chunk of lumber was missing from a small pine tree beside him.

He chopped the wood several times more, before the pine toppled over at his feet. "Awesome job, little dude." Louis congratulated joyfully, "At this rate, we'll be done in no time. Trust me, it'll all be worth it in the end." He reached down and tossed the tree into a wagon that contained at least twenty others, "You can move on to the bigger ones eventually. But it's always best to start short."

"What are we gonna use this for, again?" AJ inquired with curious eyes, "And what's it gotta do with Clem?"

The mentioned young woman stepped forward stealthily, eager to spoil herself of what the "surprise" was. She flinched in horror as the prosthetic of her left foot loudly snapped a stick in half. Instantaneously, both of the boys' eyes fell on her.

"Speak of the devil!" Louis jeered with a shake of his head. His dreaded hair gushed to the right side of his face, "It took you awhile to get over here," He claimed sourly, "But that's probably my fault for not writing specific directions so, uh... yeah. Sorry about that."

"Apology accepted." Clementine scoffed with a voice full of sarcasm. She lifted up a leg to drain a buckets-worth of rain water from her boot, "Care to explain what all this is for?" She gestured to the wagon-load of lumber, "And what it has to do with me?"

Louis reeled a foot back, teasingly stroking his chin, "Well..." He droned, clearly waiting for the woman to interrupt.

"I'm guessing it's yet another 'surprise' of yours." Clem assumed. Her pupils flicked from him to AJ, who shifted on his feet nervously, "Maybe if I waited a bit longer, I wouldn't have had to ask."

"I'm sure you'll like it once you see it." Louis replied confidently, "Showing's better than telling, after all. But for now..." The young man reached down and scooped his own axe off the muddy ground, "Wanna help us out?" He jabbed a finger to the bulk of a large pine tree behind him, "If you can get one of these big fellas down, me and AJ can call it a day. Then,  _maybe_  we can show you the surprise."

Clementine squinted as if reluctant, but grabbed the weapon right as Louis tried to pull it away,. "As always," She quipped slyly. The female spread her feet and planted them firmly in the soil. Licking her lips, she gently aimed the device - like a golf club preparing to strike. Her fingers flexed as she adjusted to its weight, and slung it forward - the blade sinking deep into the rough bark.

Louis let out a long whistle once he noticed that the tree was nearly cut in two. The remaining wood crackled and the tree swayed dangerously over them. "Damn, this is a great way to vent out stress, huh?" Clem noted as she prepared to strike again.

One more hit was all that was needed to send off a loud  _crack_  and the lumber snapped completely in half. The trio could hear the branches tear through the other trees as it capsized, loudly and heavily. The floor seemed to rumble when the pine came to a staggering halt mid-way.

"Holy shit." Louis and AJ said in unison while they inspected the damage. "God, Clem - I can't even  _scratch_  a tree that size!" The older boy confessed in awe. The young woman smiled at him, despite being out of wind, "That explains alot." She spoke breathlessly. Tossing the axe aside, she chuckled, "You gotta up your twig-game, Lou..."

"And here I was, thinking that I impressed you." He said jokingly, looking back at the pile of wood he had gathered.

"Yeah, right. I bet you made AJ cut most of those."

"Damn, Clem, how'd you know?"

Alvin playfully punched Louis' arm with a giggle, "No you didn't. You kept cutting those down and saying they were for 'demonstration.'"

"Aw, c'mon, kid, you know it's true!"

The three went quiet, and the rain continued to pummel the muddy sod around them. Louis peered out towards it, admiring the plain, yet beautiful streaks of rain pouring from the sky. He took a deep breath through his nose, cherishing the earthy scent, before letting it out.

"Peaceful at last?" Clementine commented from beside him. She folded her arms across her torso, a few damp strings of hair decorating her face. AJ stood next to her, his fingers prodding at the folds of his faded grey coat. Clem's former baseball cap sat on his head, slightly cocked to the side. ' _It suits him,'_ Louis thought, remembering the day the boy first wore it. " _P_ _reserve the legacy, kiddo."_ He recalled telling him.

"Yeah, and thank God I am." Louis said, barely able to break his gaze from the breath-taking scenery. He studied a tuft of empty grass in the horizon. Out of the blue, his mind sparked an idea.

"Say, how about we take a shortcut back to the school before the lightning strikes?" He offered towards Clem and AJ with a quirk of his brow.

"A shortcut, huh?" His girlfriend acknowledged, "So the  _school_ is where the 'surprise' just happens to be?"

"Uh-huh." Louis replied, being sure that the answer wasn't obvious.

Clem raised a brow, "...May I ask for a hint of what it is?"

"Hm..." Louis began hesitantly, scratching his neck, "I'll say... it's the kind that'll remind you why you're here in the first place." He grinned, full and true. One that neither Clem nor AJ had seen in awhile.

"Just in case you've forgotten," He added, "Which, hopefully, you didn't."

The young man suddenly knelt down to face AJ. With a cocky expression, he held out a hand. Bewildered, the boy shyly glanced at Clem before accepting it.

 _'H_ _e_   _better not be doing what_   _I_ _think he's doing...'_  The mother-figure thought as Louis hauled the boy up on his shoulders.  _'Oh God, of course he is.'_

"Wow, kid, you're gettin' heavy!" Louis strained, somehow supporting all of the weight and standing to his feet, "But this is a good way to keep up with us..." He looked towards Clementine with a mischievous smile, "If you know what I mean."

AJ smirked at the two with a chuckle, "Oooh, so  _that's_  what you were talking about..."

Clementine eyed the two in confusion.

"It sure is, now you better hold on tight-" Without warning, Louis grabbed Clem's hand and bolted off into the woods. The woman nearly tripped over in the process, but tried her best to keep up. Ruthless rain doused all three of them instantly.

"Louis! What the hell are you-!?"

"-I'm taking a shortcut!" Her boyfriend butted in after a few running strokes. Droplets of water slid down his collar and beaded at the ends of his bangs. His hand squeezed hers, and she could swear she felt his pulse quicken when he glanced at her again.

Abruptly, he let go to latch onto AJ as the boy tilted his head back and reached his stubby arms to the sky - welcoming the refreshing rain. The eight year old grinned happily, for once finding beauty in the midst of a dark, gloomy storm.

Louis spat out a mouthful of metallic-like water before turning back to Clem, "Last one to Ericson gets greenhouse duty for a month...!" He sputtered tauntingly. Clementine sent a playful glare in his direction, "You're on." She declared.

Their boots squelched into the mud at the end of the forest as they began to race each other. Alvin cheered gleefully as Clementine took the lead.

"Oh, so you're rootin' for her now?" Louis pointed out with a scowl. AJ sneered, giving a gentle-yet-rough yank to the older boy's hair, "Kick his butt, Clem!" He chirped.

By the time the three had reached the other side of the grassland, they were soaked and completely exhausted. Panting, Clementine plopped her back against the trunk of a pine tree.

She mimicked Louis' hands-on-hips pose as he collapsed to the ground beside her. He wheezed miserably, his coat dripping wet and jeans caked with mud from the knee down. "Well, that was fun." The female stated between breaths, "Wasn't it, AJ?"

The kid nodded, giggling as he climbed off of Louis and returned to her side. "More for you than it was for me..." Her boyfriend croaked, still gasping for air. Clementine couldn't help but cackle seeing the young man's hair dripping down his face like a mop, "It was your idea, dingus." She told him shamelessly.

"Ah shit, you're right." The male rasped, slapping himself mentally, "But next time, you're carrying AJ. Little rascal was trying to rip my head off the whole way."

"'Next time,' hm?"

Louis frowned, pulling himself back to his feet with a huff, "You know what I mean."

The young woman stepped forward to meet his gaze, generously rubbing away a smear of mud on his faintly-freckled cheek. The older boy went quiet, feeling the return of silent intimacy they had been missing for so long.

His pupils flickered to some place behind her, and he smiled once more, "We could start round two here, if you want." He suggested, earning a chuckle from his lover, "Round two?"

Louis' eyes went wide when he recognized his accidental innuendo, "Er, uh - y-you get what I mean." He stammered awkwardly, "Forget I said that."

"You sure are back to your old self, you idiot."

Clem lulled his jaw into her fingertips, her vision continuously trickling down to his lips. Damn, she was tempted. It had been so long, she had almost forgotten what a kiss felt like. Before she knew it, her body was already prepared to dive in.

As if the world rolled in slow-motion, she sank steadily, ready to hit the waters surface - then, she heard something groan beside her. The twos' lips merely brushed and the startled woman snapped her head to meet the noise.

Instead of the walker she anticipated, she found AJ. He stood over her with his arms crossed and lips pursed in disgust, "Man, you guys can't stay together for five minutes without doing stuff like that." He scowled. Clementine internally sighed in relief, "I'm surprised you're not used to it by now." She chortled.

"Ah... you'll understand one day, bud." Louis chimed in, breaking his silence, "It happens to the best of us."

AJ let out a gagging noise, "I hope not!" He stuffed his hands in his jean pockets with a huff, "You two make it look so... frickin' gross."

The older male chuckled in response, "I can't argue with that." He replied.

"Can we just finish the race, please?" AJ interjected. He tilted his head towards the building looming in the distance, "The school's right up there."

"Oh c'mon. Give us,  _adults_  - five more minutes-" Clementine retorted, reeling her face back to Louis. Her boyfriend stopped her with a finger to her lips, "We can save it as a trophy if you win." He suggested with a wink.

Rolling her eyes, the girl gave in, "Fine." She muttered. AJ smiled in relief, hopping into her arms for yet another piggy-back ride. His fingers hooked around her shoulders as she tried to help him climb up - But before either of them were prepared, Louis had already dashed up the hill with a shameless laugh. "Hey! That's not fair, you cheater!" Clem exclaimed, bolting after him with Alvin clinging to her neck.

The young man only snickered in response, glancing at them over his shoulder. He turned a sharp corner, his eyes bugging in horror when he lost his footing and slipped in slick, black mud. Flinging an arm up, he managed to catch himself on the trunk of a tree. He carefully regained his composure, finding himself inches away from either a mild concussion or a terrible headache - or both.

Assuming he was safe, Louis sighed, and stepped back, only to trigger a quick  _snap_  to crack through the air. Something rough latched onto his leg, twisting and knotting around his ankle. His heart nearly stopped as he was lifted, and flung upside down in a matter of seconds. He yelped, smacking head-first into a damned tree with a painful impact.

Soon, Clementine and AJ caught up and found him dangling foot-first in a rabbit-trap. He waved at them stupidly as he limply swung back and forth. Clem shook her head in disbelief, unable to conceal her chuckles, they soon became contagious between them.

"Ah! Clem, stop, you're killin' me..." Louis babbled between his laughter, clutching his head and stomach at the same time.

The young man tried to twist his neck to see her clearly, but soon gave up and hung there awkwardly, "I think I'm a bit, uh... stuck." He admitted, slurring dizzily as he felt the blood rush to his aching head.

His girlfriend knelt down, taking his (upside-down) face into her hands once again, "This counts as me winning the race, doesn't it?" She tested, trailing a finger up and down the curls of his hairline.

"I doubt you'd care if I said no." Louis murmured with a groan, "An' my head hurts too much to complain."

Clementine smiled at that, "...Would a kiss help it feel better, King Lou?"

The young man's lips curled slightly, even through his bleary haze, "There's only one way to find out, Clemster."

With that, she broke the surface of the water and dove into the sweet, welcoming kiss she had been anticipating for so long. It was almost like they had gone back in time. Like they were back in the piano room all over again.

Clementine felt the boy's careful fingers flit across her cheek. Like how she remembered him plucking at the keys of his cherished piano. She also felt an odd, prickly sensation tickling her nose and upper-lip. Curiously fluttering open her eyes, she noticed faint pricks of dark brown scattered along his chin. 'Oh my God, is that  _stubble?'_  She realized, nearly laughing out loud in disbelief.  _'Has it really been that long?'_

Louis smiled against her lips, holding her torso into a tight embrace. At that point, he had forgotten the heaviness of his head and the uncomfortable position he was in. He let himself be submerged in the moment. Tucking himself under the ocean waves. Reminding himself that they were reunited at last.

Out of the blue, the rope around his foot snapped, sending him tumbling into the girl's arms. In an instant, mud splattered all over them and Clementine found the boy on top of her with a shocked expression.

The intimate silence returned once again, but it didn't last long before Louis crashed their faces back together. There was a look of joy in his eyes as he clenched them shut. His eyebrows locked together, but then relaxed when he pulled away.

"God, Clem, you have no idea how much I've missed this." He gasped, peering straight into her eyes. Suddenly, he became visably nervous and tore his gaze away. "Actually, I think I definitely have an idea." Clementine corrected, using a finger to play with a loose dread curtaining his brow, "I think it's been long enough, Lou. We've wasted enough time these past few months."

"Yeah. I think so, too." The young man replied solumnly, "I-I've been meaning to tell you..." He began carefully, "Thank you. For helping me, even when I was being... well, me. I didn't mean to ruin this - ruin  _us._  It's just..." He rambled off, "I... I don't think I could've done it without you. Without AJ." He confessed.

"You're welcome." Clementine spoke, brushing another twist of hair behind his ear, "I could say the same for you and AJ, y'know."

Louis let himself laugh in fake disbelief, "Nah, now you're just bein' nice."

"I mean it, Lou. Do you want me to prove it? I could kiss you again, will that convince you?"

"Maybe..." The boy chuckled dryly, bringing himself back to his knees, "But how about I show you the surprise, instead? Y'know, so we can finally call it a day?"

"I would love that."

"I knew you would."

Clementine stood up, instinctively reaching for a certain little boy's hand. Feeling nothing, her eyes went wide, and she began to glance around frantically, "Wait, where's AJ?"

Beside her, Louis scoffed, folding his arms over his chest, "Knowing him, he probably got sick of watching our corny romance and beat us back to the school." He claimed.

"Well... what kind of parents would we be to keep him waiting?"

"Pretty sucky ones, wouldn't we?" The boy remarked with another short laugh, "We really are getting old."

"We're not old until we somehow start sharing rooms again." Clementine interjected, stepping forward and gently taking his hand in her own.

Louis' eyes went wide, but only for a second, "So... not any time soon, I'm guessing." He grinned.

"It might be sooner than you think."

The two young adults slowly slipped into a brisk walk, striding together hand-in-hand. They barely noticed that the dark clouds had parted above them, releasing the golden rays of an afternoon sun.

It wasn't long before they finally returned home. Louis, as usual, swung the school's rusty gates open, holding it generously as Clementine prepared walk past. Abruptly, she paused and eyed the male expectantly, "So... are you ready to show me the next special thing you promised?" She tested, earning a smirk from him. "Yep." Was all he said, before yet again, interlocking his fingers with hers.

He lead her towards a place all-too-familar. Messy chunks of chopped wood protruded from the once blackened and charred section of the building. "Oh, don't tell me it's what I think it is." Clem sighed, clearly amused.

"Don't worry, I won't." Louis quipped, merely batting an eye in her direction. The woman rolled her eyes as he continued to drag her through the school yard. She soon noticed various shards of discarded wood scattered along the ground.

Before she knew it, she was standing in a part of the school she had never been in before. It was secluded and much different from the rest of the place. Dry patches of earthy green grass sprouted at her feet, decorating the otherwise blank, rocky floor.

Her curious amber eyes were drawn to the strange twists of roots that slithered into a large, burnt orange oak tree. It towered over her and Louis, it's long, slender branches reaching beautifully into the turquoise sky. It casted an eerie, hand-shaped shadow over the roof of the school.

But what caught her eye the most were the stacks of cleanly-sliced wooden planks built into it. Including a staircase, perfectly crafted walls, a small window, and a hand-made swing dangling at the bottom.

A treehouse. One that she never asked for, and much less expected to have.

"So... whataya think?" Louis spoke up from beside her, "It took awhile to put it all together, but me and AJ tried our best."

Speechless, Clementine squinted at the building's entrance, spotting a small set of wooden wind chimes tied from the ceiling.

"Y'know, that day I was 'venting out my stress' in the woods, I was actually collecting wood to build this." Her boyfriend added, "I just... felt so bad. I knew I needed something to make up for it, and for... y'know, you."

Without hesitation, Clem pulled the boy into her arms. Comforting warmth instantly enveloped them, encouraging Louis to close his eyes and drag himself even deeper into the embrace. The breaths of Clem's overjoyed chuckles tickled his neck. "God, it's perfect, Lou." She murmured into his hair, breathing in his scent, "I couldn't have asked for more."

"Have I ever told you how proud I was of you?" She blurted out, pulling away from him slightly. Her hands were fixed on the ends of his shoulders. Louis' face lit into several shades of pink at once. His chocolate eyes went wide in shock, just like the day she confessed her feelings in the piano room.

"I mean it." Clementine said, her fingers tightening, "You've grown so much these past few years, without even noticing it. Even after all that's happened - you've stopped being hard on yourself and now you're accepting yourself for who you are. And I've never been more proud."

"Really?" Louis affirmed, baffled, "Sorry, but...I-I've never..." He cleared his throat, "No ones ever told me that before."

"Well, now someone has."

The young man fell quiet, offering a grateful, yet sheepish smile.

Clementine's pupils flitted behind him to the background, where AJ was dangling his feet off an arm of the tree. He waved at her happily and pointed proudly to the swingset. His finger trailed towards Louis as well, before the gesture spun into a sly thumbs-up. She smiled when the boy tauntingly wiggled his eyebrows.

"...Say, do you want to join AJ out on the swing?" Clem offered her boyfriend curiously, "Maybe, for once, he'll be able to tolerate our corny romance."

Louis gazed at her with a reformed optimism painting his features.

Slipping his hand into hers yet again, he smirked, "You bet."


	3. Take Us Back

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, here's the bitter-sweet finale you've all been waiting for.  
> And also the massive 10-20 year timeskip that I was semi-hoping for in 404.
> 
> Thank you all for reading this far and for leaving the kudos and comments that've kept me going.  
> Don't be afraid to leave more for the future, cause I'm eager to hear any questions you have for the ending.
> 
> Please enjoy.

_"When the higher hills have turned to blue. And the waves are lapping where the children grew._

_All that we have know will be an echo. Of days when love was true."_

_\- Alela Diane; "Take Us Back."_

 

Clementine fluttered open her eyes, finding herself met by the blinding rays of the mid-day sun. Golden sunlight blasted through the proud branches of a looming tree and seared past the ragged structure of the school. Clem sniffed the fresh, earthy forest breeze with a sigh of satisfaction.

It had been awhile since she felt the relief of being free in nature. It was a refreshing feeling. Even more so than waking up enveloped in snug, comforting, brown arms and deep, lazy snores in late hours of the morning.

Clementine smiled at the memories, leaning further on a ratty, old wooden railing. Her gaze flittered across various structures in the courtyard while she noted how much it changed over the years.

Most of the structures in the school were rebuilt and redesigned to perfection. Much of it resembled a mansion mixed with a dream-house, (Much to Louis' and AJ's delight.) A large garden replaced the once craggy old greenhouse. Twists of apple trees and sweet blueberry bushes now engulfed the grassy terrain. As well as fresh sprouts of other tasty fruit-speckled plants.

Clem's mouth watered just at the thought of taking a bite into a ripe, juicy Georgia - or more specifically -  _Virginia_  peach. Damn, she couldn't even remember what they tasted like, now that she thought about it.

"Enjoying the view?" A deep, joyful, masculine voice sounded, successfully snapping the woman from her daydreams.

She turned to greet a young black man beaming at her. His hands were stuffed into his jean pockets, which were hidden beneath the leather of his aged trench coat. His dark brown locks were worn in thick braids, and tied in a bundle at his nape. A short, trimmed beard carved down his jawline and chin; which only further emphasized his striking features.

Clementine smiled back at him, instinctively sweeping her curly brown ponytail over her shoulder, "I sure am." She replied, "And now, even more so now that you're here."

"Oh, I'm sure you are." Louis flirted with his new mature vibe of confidence, "As always, of course."

With a huff, he joined her on the railing. His dark eyes glazed over the beautiful scenery as he inspected various segments of the school. Every so often, they would drift back at Clementine with a hint of curiosity.

The more Louis grew, the more he reminded Clem of the man who haunted her dreams. From the scruffy beard to the eventual looming height. At first, it was a strange new addition, but overtime, she found that it suited him. After all those days of training, he had grown into a stronger, more daring version of himself. One that Clementine could have never predicted.

He was about to speak again, before cluttered footsteps interrupted him. Two pairs of worn, muddied boots staggered by, followed by the irritating sound of metal grating against wood.

The two adults watched as Aasim and Willy came racing by. Their arms were stacked full of bolts, bark, and wrenches. The two geniuses were ready to go back to work, as usual. Aasim rubbed a wet rag across his dirty face in disgust, before he bolted after his younger companion.

Chuckling to himself, Louis sloppily waved them goodbye as they disappeared outside the gates.

"I still can't believe those two are responsible for all this," He murmured aloud, almost sarcastically, "It almost seems too good to be true."

"Well... honestly, me neither," Clem agreed, "but hey, they do make a great team. I can't help but feel proud of them."

"Ah... damn, you're right." Louis clicked his tongue, giving in, "It almost bums me out that I stopped working on the rabbit traps all those years ago. If I didn't, I bet I'd be just as good as e'm." The man lifted his left hand, which was missing the tips of both his ring and middle finger, "I haven't been able to do much lately, anyways."

If Clementine had stared a second longer, she would've noticed the sorrow in his eyes.

Suddenly, the 27 year old sucked in a breath and turned back to face her, "Well, what do you think? Could I be up for a job like that?" He asked.

After a decisive moment of silence, Clem playfully knicked the pianist's arm, "Not a chance. It'd be too out of character for you to be an inventor, and much less compete with those two air-heads."

Her long, slender fingers automatically slid over to Louis' bulkier ones. Her index finger discovered one of his injured nubs and carressed it gently, "Plus, you'd have too much talent too waste."

The male chuckled in defeat and squeezed his crippled hand against hers, "...Hell, Clem, if you're the one saying that, who am I to disagree?"

"Exactly, you big doofus, and you know why?" Clementine jested, "...because I'm always right."

"Yep," Louis cracked a smile, "And even when you're wrong," He jabbed a finger at her teasingly, "you're right."

Clem smirked back at him, but froze when she spotted a tall, teenage boy ogling the garden behind him. Her eyes met the face of none other than Alvin Junior. The boy's skin was youthful and bright, yet overshadowed by nervous, dark eyes. His luscious curls extended out in waves and squiggles along his hairline. The sides were still slighty cut from the bits Clem had sheared off the week before.

"AJ's been getting more closed-off lately." Clementine muttered to Louis regretfully, "I know he's just growing up. Hell, I remember the age it happened to me - But still, I can't help but feel worried."

"Ah, I remember those days all too well." The man squinted, peering in the younger boy's direction. "Trust me, that shit sucked big time."

Clem let out a short chortle of disbelief, "Wow, I can't imagine you being like that of all people." She scoffed, "All I can see is a short, matt-haired kid locking himself in the music room for hours on end."

Louis folded his lanky arms over his chest with an amused smile, "That's accurate." He jested. The calmness in his eyes wandered back to AJ as the boy idly kicked a stone in the background. "Only, believe it or not, I used to hide off in the bathrooms with Marlon. He knew a thing or two about temper-tantrums, stress - all that crap. So, he helped me get through it."

The pianist smirked a bit to himself, his fingers pinching the at the edges of his aged trench coat. Suddenly, his smile wavered and fell to a frown, "Too bad it just happened to be his downfall in the end." He stated solumnly, "...Poor guy."

Clem turned to eye him wearily, "You still remember that day, huh?" She noted, grimacing.

"How could I forget?" The male sighed, before correcting himself, "It doesn't matter now. If anything, I'm grateful - because his death made me a better person. You saw me fight to get past it, and I stepped up for the first time in my life. If Marlon was still alive today, I doubt I'd be the same person. And hell, I know he's in a better place now. That's where he deserves to be. So... ironically, here's my 10-years-late 'thank you.'"

Clem's rosey lips perked up at that, "And here's my 10-years-late 'you're welcome.'" She chimed in.

A reflective moment of silence fell upon them. Late morning birds chirped and the trees rocked with swaying branches. Clementine tapped a finger rthymically against the railing, "AJ's growing up so fast.  _We're_  growing up so fast." She spoke aloud, "It's strange. Before, when he was younger, it was always chaos. But time never flew by like this."

The woman paused to drink in a reassuring breath, "Now that we're safe... I... I don't know. Sometimes, I'm afraid it will happen again."

Louis folded his arms across his chest and bit the inside of his cheek. His gaze studied the garden wonderland once more. It was a sight so foreign, it almost seemed too good to be true.

"I can't blame you for worrying." He stated thoughtfully, "I know you're used to having everything get taken away from you. Friends, homes, family... Probably so much that I can't even imagine."

"Yeah... yeah, that must be what it is." Clem nodded hesitantly. The scolding memory of Lilly came unbidden at the thought of the inevitable. The woman's harsh voice seemed to rip through the cool air. Accompanied by the sound of a bobbing raft shifting through bloody water.

_"Nothing lasts, Clementine. Not friends. Not love. Not the place you call home. They'll all fall eventually."_

"But even if we do lose everything..." Louis continued, "at least, we can move on knowing that we lived each day to its fullest. That's all that matters." He set a comforting hand on the girl's shoulder, just how Lee used to all those years ago.

"...Right?" Louis spoke up, catching her eye. Clementine wanted to respond, but held her tongue. Her mind spun with horrific thoughts yet again. Ones of losing everything and everyone, just like Lilly said.

But regardless, she gave Louis a faint smile, and guided his hand to fit hers once more. "Right."

###

Louis awoke to a rough hand jostling his shoulder. "C'mon, Lou, get up." He heard Clementine's amused tone urge him. Followed by three more determined shoves at his torso. "Today's the special day I warned you about."

In response, he merely groaned and rolled back over in his sheets, "Ugh... I thought you'd just leave a note or something, Clem." He murmured in his sleepy haze, "Or... I dunno, at least be a lil' merciful..."

"This is as merciful as I'll get. But trust me, I'm sure it's a prize worth getting up for. I've been preparing it for weeks."

Although exhausted, Louis' mind couldn't help but ignite with curiosity. Images began flickering like lights as he contemplated what Clementine had prepared for him. The shameless fascination was all that was needed for him to will himself into a sitting position.

"Good morning." He said, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. He barely noticed the dreads of hair spilling over his face and back, which were all a mess of tangles.

"Good morning." Clementine chuckled, flicking a strand away with a finger, "By the way, are you  _ever_  gonna cut these off?"

Louis' half-lidded eyes tracked her up and down, his lips curling, "Hm, you really think I could pull off a clean-cut look, Clemster?"

"Maybe... but I'm mainly asking so you don't get your head ripped off by a walker." Clem chuckled.

" _If a_ walker comes..." Louis corrected, "But other than that, good point."

"Exactly, I've only learned from the best, y'know. Lee taught me that one."

"Ooooh, trust me, I can tell. But with that in mind,  _maybe_  one day I'll let you butcher my hair in order to keep my head intact."

Clementine wafted him a teasing smirk. "I'd call it more of an 'aid' than a 'butcher,' in my opinion."

"Oh wow, thanks. Good to know you're optimistic." Louis retorted, setting his hands on his hips, "Now, if you don't mind me asking, what's the 'special thing' you dragged me outta bed for?"

Clem seemed to snap back to reality with the mention, "Oh, right." Her lips sparked a taunting smile, "The  _surprise."_

Louis clicked his tongue and sighed at the remark. Though, he was unable to hide the flattered grin that followed, "Oh God, so unoriginal. I thought you were better than me, Clem."

"Well, I'm clearly not. I thought you'd know that by now."

"And I do. Even if it's completely untrue."

Cackling stupidly, Clem grabbed his hand and forced him stubbornly to his feet. Louis nearly toppled over from the action, but caught himself on a wall before he could. He watched as Clementine dug into one of her clothes drawers. When she turned back to him, she revealed a large, black suitcase in her hands.

Raising a brow, Louis scratched his chin hesitantly. The gears in his head began to grind, but halted when Clementine tossed a t-shirt his way.

"C'mon, I've got the whole room set up and everything." The woman babbled with excitement. She was already halfway done zipping up a fuzzy grey jacket over her casual white t-shirt.

"Ah... so where're we headin' this time, Clem?" Louis asked as he whipped on his own attire.

A mischevious glint sparked in her eye at the question. "Someplace... familiar." Was all she said.

...

The striking scent of old wood and sweet scented candles broke Louis from his thoughts. Splatters of fiery tangerine clashed with the silver and turquoise of the moonlight. The gorgeous combination lit the room alive.

Clementine and Louis could practically see their past selves seated back on the piano bench. A strange sense at nostalgia returned at the memories of music once bouncing off the walls. It reminded them of the soft chatter and laughter of AJ when he played 'Oh, My Darling Clementine' for the first time.

Louis smiled softly, before shaking his head in disbelief, "Aw, Clem, you shouldn't have..." He trailed off as he approached his beautiful, once polished and graceful, wooden piano. The aged design was coated with a fine layer of dust, which easily came off when the male brushed his fingers across it.

Louis inspected the substance on his finger tips, before he frowned, and swept it off on his jeans. "It's been... too long since we've been here." He admitted, feeling an awful wave of regret coming over him.

Clementine seated herself on the squeaky piano bench beside him. She set the suitcase in her lap with a short huff. "I know." Her fingers curled around the smooth, bronze buckle that encased the hidden treasure within. She ran her nails across, wincing as rust pricked at her skin.

"I know you miss being here, and teaching me and AJ how to play." Clem stated while she ran a few fingers along the piano chords, "It seems so long ago, now that I think about it." Her hand paused, falling limp between the 'B' and the 'G' keys.

"Really, I just wanted to talk... as usual. And finding this stupid box just gave me an excuse to drag you in here."

Louis found himself smiling once again. "So your wish was granted. And I suppose there's no real 'surprise,' then, if that box was just a ploy to lure me here, right?"

"Actually, uh... not exactly." Clementine's index finger and thumb plucked at the suitcases buckle. With a short  _'click'_ the lid fell open, revealing a trunk-load of small, pale-greenish papers. They were all stacked neatly and tied in bundles. And despite the wrinkles and tears, some numbers and prints were still visible.

Louis' throat went sandpaper-dry once he realized. It was just like finding his father's stash for the first time.

His illuminated eyes went wide as he stared at the cash, both astounded and horrified. "Holy shit, Clem! Where did you find all this?"

"It was back on one of my last supply runs. Or, should I say,  _private_  supply runs. I went out pretty far and found an abandoned warehouse." Clementine tapped her jack-pot with a knuckle, "This just happened to be splayed out in the hallway. Probably abandoned a long time ago along with everything else."

Louis' hand almost gained a mind of its own. Before he knew it, he had already grabbed a handful of money into his fist. "Fitting." He found himself saying, his fingers sorting through each dollar by the hundred. "It's funny how worthless this is now. I almost can't believe I ruined my parents' marriage over it."

The musician forced out a laugh full of irony, "As much as I wish I did, I don't regret it. You know why?" His eyes snapped back to Clementine, "Because if I didn't, I never would've met you and AJ."

"Wow, good point." Clem sputtered, realizing, "I guess there was silver-lining to it, afterall."

"There sure was."

Sighing in semi-satisfaction, Louis stuffed the money back in the box. Almost as if he were leaving his memories behind him and moving on once again. Clementine carefully slipped the suitcase shut and dropped it on a table nearby, "I'm sure Willy and the others will get a kick out of this later." She said with a scoff.

"Yeah," Louis uttered, before falling silent again. As the seconds dragged on, his gaze hesitantly dragged to the dusty keys of his old, forgotten piano. A voice deep in him wondered if it could still work.

Twiddling three fingers over the ivories, he swore under his breath. "I know you've been waiting for me to come here for awhile, Clem. And the truth is, I just wanted to teach someone how to play this again. Pass on the legacy, y'know? Since I can't do it as well anymore..."

"It's AJ, isn't it?" Clementine rose a brow, "You didn't get worse at playing piano, Louis. What happened was out of your control. And I'm sure AJ didn't lose interest in learning. He's just shy, if anything. In fact, we can ask him if he wants to join us right now if you want."

"No, no - we can do it later. I don't want to invade his privacy. I just... I guess I just miss him being here, is all." Louis barely noticed Clementine sliding closer to him until their hips brushed.

"Well... how about we play together instead?" She offered.

A knowing smile distorted the seriousness of Louis' face, "Hm, really? What kind of song would you recommend?"

The female leaned towards his ear and whispered three words, earning another blush and smirk from him.

"As you wish, your majesty... but  _first,"_ The pianist pulled a small, square-shaped device from his pocket. Strange designs looped around the two empty holes in the center. Wiry, black tape twisted around a column inside. "I've got a surprise for you, too."

Clementine's hazel eyes spun into ones of childish fascination, "What is it?"

"A cassette tape." Louis plopped the odd plastic on top of the piano desk. "My dad taught me how to use one when I was a kid. I found this one in the basement with a bunch of other old junk. Basically, you push a button and you can record your voice with it."

"And music?"

"Anything you want."

The dread-haired man shimmied closer to her, until they were mere inches apart. He offered her devilish, half-lidded eyes, "Wanna give it a try?"

Clem drummed her nails on the keyboard, appearing convinced, "Well, what do you think?"

Soon enough, the two prepared their hands and Louis clicked a button on the "cassette tape." Their tune began in slow, deliberate notes that rang steadily throughout the room. Each of their tempos blended together like butter and honey, resulting in a hauntingly nostalgic melody.

The rythym broke apart crudely for a moment, until it smoothly fell back in sync. It wasn't long before the two became lost in it. Their hearts thumped to the beat and their tongues begged to taste the long forgotten lyrics. Instead, they decided to hum them in its absence.

But that was all before Clementine began to recide the words from memory.

"Take us back, oh, take us back. Oh, take us... take us back..."

The duo continued to hum and strum as the chorus came to an end. Though the part was lyric-less, it was still engulfed with nostalgia and emotion. Almost enough to make them cry along with the bitter-sweet memories in their heads.

Clearing her throat, Clem continued.

"I've a friend who lives out by the rivers mouth. He knows the fiddles cry is an old sound. A lonesome creeks and moans of empty houses. Are songs like fallen rain..."

Endlessly strumming the chords, Louis reluctantly sang along. "Windblown buildings. Muddy ground. The strength of water can sink a man."

With every word, their voices became more confident and passionate.

"Take us back, oh, take us back. Oh, take us... take us back." The two locked eyes a moment and grinned. "Take us back, oh, take us back. Oh, take us... take us back."

Forgetting the lyrics once again, their voices fell flat. But that only caused their fingers to become braver. Booming chords made up for the lost vocals. Louis' careful, knowing hums guided them into the last verse.

"All that we have known will be an echo. Of days when love was true."

"Muted voices. Just beyond. The silent surface of what has gone."

The two's words devolved into meaningless, yet melodic humming as the song came to an end.

After a minute of silence, Louis clicked off the cassette tape with a satisfied chuckle. He grabbed a large mechanical box from a table and placed the cassette inside. With another quick  _'clack',_  it was locked behind glass.

Predictably, a confused Clementine piped up, "What's that for?"

"Whenever Aasim or Willy figure out how to make electricity, we can listen to it here." Louis answered, snapping a red button on and off, "Kinda like a rewind of the moment. It's pretty cool, actually. Too bad we'll have to wait twenty years for it, though."

"Yeah, I could believe that." Clem replied.

The room fell deadly quiet. The only sound being of crickets squeaking faintly from outside and crackling candle light.

Louis suddenly found his hands back on the piano. His fingers were choppily reciding yet another song he and Clementine had memorized. He winced when he missed a note before he was halfway through the first verse. After a few more, he missed another. Then another. And another.

No further than five chords more, Louis had struck several wrong keys during the chorus. Defeated, he gave up and set his hands on his knees.

"You did come here to talk, right?" The male retorted as he chewed the inside of his cheek, "Then... hey, I guess it's my turn now." Pausing briefly, he continued, "Remember that... uh, conversation we had almost a year ago?"

Clementine gave him a look of deep thought, and then shook her head in confusion.

"Oh, you gotta make me be specific, huh?" Louis groaned, dragging a rough fist through his hair. "I just wanted to apologize... for being so... blunt about it. I never wanted to bring up  _'kids'_  with the intent of replacing AJ. And I sure didn't mean to make you upset and re-experience bad memories..."

The man slouched back in his seat and folded his arms across his stomach. "I didn't think about how dangerous parenting could be, or if we could handle the responsibilities or not. If anything, I was afraid that if I waited too long to mention it, it would be too late."

"So..." He breathed, "...There."

Avoiding eye contact, Clementine scratched her neck guiltily, "I... I didn't mean to come off like that, Lou. I didn't expect you to bring it up, that's why I reacted the way I did. The truth is, I'm terrified of something going wrong. I've seen it happen before. And... if anything happens, I can't imagine how it would impact you and AJ..."

Before she was finished, Louis had already scooped her up in his arms. His arms squeezed tight around her lithe shoulders, keeping her firmly in place. She felt vibrations of muffled chuckles escape his chest. After a moment, it stopped, before the male mumbled something into the neck of her jacket.

"Could you imagine a mini you or a mini me running through the school?" He laughed again and audibly sighed. "I'm scared, too. I hate how cruel this world is. It limits so many things. Too many."

He mumbled something else under his breath. "I love you, Clem. So, if that's what you believe... If that's what you think is best...Then I trust you." The man recoiled from her. A tired look appeared in his once boyish, beaming eyes. It was one of acceptance and maturity. One that lacked everything that once made him Louis.

A sad, remorseful frown sunk into Clementine's face. Though, it lasted only for a second before withering away. She hooked her hands around the man's neck and kissed him on his scruffy cheek. But still, his drained appearance remained. It was melancholy and dim compared to his once bright, booming features.

"...Maybe one day," Slipped her reluctant lips. Louis' face lit up like a lamp, almost automatically.

"When the time's right." She added, "Maybe... maybe we could give it a chance."

Wordlessly, the pianist cupped her face in his hands. He seemed to gawk at her as if he were admiring a sculpture of beauty. He looked conflicted, however, as if he was stricken with both terror and astonishment.

"Are you sure about this?" His usually brave, broad tone quivered,

"Are you  _absolutely_  sure you're willing to take the risk?"

######

A striking, blue-tinted building towered ominously over the pale horizon. Sunlight lapped over its silhouette like streaks of multi-colored paint. A faint outine of gates bordered it from a forest nearby. It seemed so calm and outcasted, and unlike anything the orphaned boy had ever seen.

Huffing with determination, the brunette shoved his foot between the fence and hauled himself over. He landed with a harsh  _thump,_ nearly spraining his ankle in the process. Snapping back to his feet, he whipped out a pistol and waved it dangerously into the desolate courtyard.

Finding nothing, the boy licked his lips and stuffed the gun back in his coat.

His steady, yet unsure footsteps lead him to the front door of the strange, teetering building. Grabbing the doornob, he found that, remarkably, it was unlocked. He checked behind him again, before slipping inside.

Anticipating the worst, he drew his gun out once more. It could turn out to be another bloody morgue. Or worse; a mansion crawling with walkers and corpses everywhere. Letting out a breath he didn't realize he was holding, the male spun around. And instantly, his eyes went wide.

The room was filled with home-made lamps and lights. All that were bright and beaming several different colors at once. Fancy woven furnature sat neatly around the smooth wooden floor. A couch, three tables, two shelves, and a few instruments caught the boy's eye.

Pictures that were far too realistic to be paintings were scattered along the walls. The teen found himself captivated by them.

One was a photo of what appeared to be a family before the apocalypse. There was a light-skinned woman with long, curly brown hair and striking amber eyes. Her slender arm was slung around a black man with dreadlocks and a charming smile. They were both beaming and grinning, as if they didn't have a care in the world.

Another picture starred the same couple laying together in a sunset. Only, it included a teenage boy who was sitting beside them with a goofy smile.

Yet another showed the previous black man with much shorter curly hair. And the one beside it included the woman holding what appeared to be a newborn baby.

The boy's eyes were drawn to a large, mechanical box sitting on a fancy bronze table. There was a smaller discolored box inside. Various colored buttons decorated the outside. Intrigued by sheer curiosity, the teen found himself coming closer. His eyes flicked to a note below the device, where he discovered fancy, bold cursive writing.

' ** _In loving memory of our beloved Clementine.'_... '** _Dedicated to our favorite musican of them all.'_... ' _F_ _or the best parents I could ever ask for. The ones that I could always count on, and the ones who will never be forgotten.'_

The boy toyed with the machines buttons a bit with confusion. Some of them only sparked a few clicks and another ejected the square from its casing. Fixing the item back for the third time, the teen decided to poke the red button first.

He jumped in shock when the static screeched from the speakers, followed by the sound of a high-pitched instrument playing. Soon, the boy became enraptured with the sad, yet beautiful melody. Even when some notes slipped or when a chord was struck too fast.

The song was hauntingly familiar, somehow. As if he had heard it once long ago. A woman's soothing voice appeared amongst the music, catching the boy off guard.

" _Take us back, oh, take us back. Oh, take us... take us back."_ She sang in a tone as soft as silk.

A male's voice soon joined in once the lady began to hum the rest of the chorus. Their vocals churned and swelled with the music. A tear slid down the boy's cheek as he remembered devestating memories he had locked away in his mind.

" _I've a friend who lives out by the rivers mouth. He says a fiddles cry is an old sound. The lonesome creeks and moans of empty houses. Are songs like fallen rain."_

_"A_ _ll that we have known will be an echo. Of days when love was true. Muted voices. Just beyond. The silent surface of what has gone."_

Before the brunette knew it, the song was over. Leaving him to stand in front of the machine in numbing silence. After taking a moment to recollect himself, he decided there was nothing useful enough to steal from the place. He stubbornly rubbed the tears from his eyes. Reminding himself that he still needed to explore the rest of the building.

The male strode past the other photos on the walls and ignored all decorations. He busted open another door that lead back outside. He barely took notice of the beautiful fruit trees surrounding him or the flowers at his feet. If anything, he assumed it was a abandoned garden that had taken over during the apocalypse. Most likely abandoned, just like everything else.

Turning a corner, he found the entrance to the other side of the house. His breath stopped short as his eyes met the faces of at least six other people. But mainly, at a middle-aged black man knelt over to tend to the garden.

The boy slowly took a step back, only to snap a stick with a loud  _'crack.'_  The threatening man's dark eyes glued to him as he stood to his full height. Though, he suddenly looked much more confused than intimidating. And, ironically, resembled the teenage boy in the photos. A much older version, however.

"What are you doing here, son?" He said in a voice too similiar his father's. Though, it sounded more of a request than a demand. "You're not lost, are you? Or seperated from your family at the trade routes?"

The boy managed a nervous shake of his head. The old man sighed affirmitively and slid his garden trowel into his coat. "That's what I was afraid of..."

A lithe young woman appeared behind him. She stroked a curl of hair from her hazel eyes and adjusted a muddied shovel resting on her shoulder. The boy couldn't help but stare. She looked like a perfect blend of the couple he had seen in the pictures. Broadcasting the man's skin and jaw and the woman's eyes and nose.

Clearing his throat, the man beside her spoke up again, "Well, I suppose you need an introduction, right?" He chuckled to himself, before lending out a hand.

"Welcome to Ericson's boarding school for troubled youth."

 


End file.
